NOTE 15 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Compliance with Environmental Regulations

The Company’s exploration activities are subject to laws and regulations controlling not only the exploration and mining of mineral properties, but also the effect of such activities on the environment. Compliance with such laws and regulations may necessitate additional capital outlays or affect the economics of a project, and cause changes or delays in the Company’s activities.

Property Concessions in Mexico

To properly maintain property concessions in Mexico, the Company is required to pay a semi-annual fee to the Mexican government and complete annual assessment work.

Royalty

The Company has agreed to pay a 2% net smelter return royalty on certain property concessions within the Sierra Mojada Property based on the revenue generated from production. Total payments under this royalty are limited to $6.875 million (the “Royalty”). To date, no royalties have been paid.

Litigation and Claims

Mineros Norteños Case

On May 20, 2014, Mineros Norteños filed an action in the Local First Civil Court in the District of Morelos, State of Chihuahua, Mexico, against the Company’s subsidiary, Minera Metalin, claiming that Minera Metalin breached an agreement regarding the development of the Sierra Mojada Property. Mineros Norteños sought payment of the Royalty, including interest at a rate of 6% per annum since August 30, 2004, even though no revenue has been produced from the applicable mining concessions. It also sought payment of wages to the cooperative’s members since August 30, 2004, even though none of the individuals were hired or performed work for Minera Metalin under this agreement and Minera Metalin did not commit to hiring them. On January 19, 2015, the case was moved to the Third District Court (of federal jurisdiction). On October 4, 2017, the court ruled that Mineros Norteños was time barred from bringing the case. On October 19, 2017, Mineros Norteños appealed this ruling. On July 31, 2019, the Federal Appeals Court upheld the original ruling. This ruling was subsequently challenged by Mineros Norteños and on January 24, 2020, the Federal Circuit Court ruled that the Federal Appeals Court must consider additional factors in its ruling. In March 2020, the Federal Appeals Court upheld the original ruling after considering these additional factors. In August 2020, Mineros Norteños appealed this ruling, which appeal the Company timely responded and objected to on October 5, 2020. On March 26, 2021, the Federal Circuit Court issued a final and conclusive resolution, affirming the Federal Appeals Court decision. Despite the judgments in favour of the Company, Mineros Norteños has continued to block access to the facilities at Sierra Mojada since September 2019. The Company has filed criminal complaints with the State of Coahuila, federal and state authorities have been contacted to intervene and terminate the blockade, and the Company has attempted to negotiate with Mineros Norteños, without resolution to date. The Company has not accrued any amounts in its condensed interim consolidated financial statements with respect to this claim.

ICSID Arbitration

On March 2, 2023, the Company filed the NAFTA Notice of Intent (Note 4). As is required by Article 1118 of NAFTA, the Company sought to settle this dispute with Mexico through consultations. On May 30, 2023, the Company attended a meeting with Mexican government officials in Mexico City, but, notwithstanding the Company’s good faith efforts to resolve the dispute amicably, no settlement was reached. Accordingly, the Company filed a request for arbitration with the ICSID on June 28, 2023. On July 20, 2023, ICSID registered the request. On June 17, 2024, the Company filed its Memorial submission with the ICSID detailing the claim against Mexico as well as damages for the sum of $315 million, plus pre-award interest accruing from the valuation date, June 30, 2020. The Arbitration hearing was held in October 2025, and the Company submitted its post-hearing brief on November 21, 2025 and its costs on December 5, 2025.

On May 29, 2026, the ICSID tribunal rendered its final award dismissing the Claim on the basis that it did not have jurisdiction and/or was time-barred and ordered the Company to pay a portion of Mexico’s legal costs totaling approximately US$998,000 (Note 17).

To support the legacy NAFTA claim, the Company engaged an arbitration consultant, who, upon a successful arbitration ruling, is to receive an arbitration fee amounting to 6% of the net amount of the award by ICSID less all associated direct costs incurred by the Company.

As succeeding in collecting any amount is unlikely, the Company has not accrued any amounts in the condensed interim consolidated financial statements with respect to this claim.

Valdez Case

On February 15, 2016, Messrs. Jaime Valdez Farias and Maria Asuncion Perez Alonso (collectively, “Valdez”) filed an action before the Local First Civil Court of Torreon, State of Coahuila, Mexico (“Civil Court”), against the Company’s subsidiary, Minera Metalin, claiming that Minera Metalin had breached an agreement regarding the development of the Sierra Mojada Property. Valdez sought payment in the amount of $5.9 million for the alleged breach of the agreement. On April 28, 2016, Minera Metalin filed its response to the complaint, asserting various defenses, including that Minera Metalin terminated the agreement before the payment obligations arose and that certain conditions precedent to such payment obligations were never satisfied by Valdez. The Company and the Company’s Mexican legal counsel asserted all applicable defenses. In May 2017, a final judgment was entered finding for the Company, the defendant, acquitting the Company of all of the plaintiff’s claims and demands. However, due to a technicality in an early procedural act, Valdez was allowed to, and did, challenge the judgment before a local Appeals Court. In November 2020, the judgment of the Appeals Court was timely challenged by the Company by means of an “Amparo” lawsuit (Constitutional protection) before a Federal Circuit Court. In June 2021, the Federal Circuit Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff. In consultation with the Company’s Mexican legal counsel, the Company believes these judgments are contrary to applicable law. The plaintiff initiated proceedings to enforce the Appeals Court resolution, and the Company offered a mining concession as payment in full to terminate this controversy definitively. On October 31, 2025, the Civil Court granted Valdez the title to several superficial rights and mining concessions as payment; however, it is unclear if Valdez will still seek to secure additional assets, alleging an outstanding balance.

Due to this recent ruling, continued consultation with the legal counsel and the continued inability to access the property, the Company recorded a litigation accrual of $7.08 million ($5.9 million plus legal costs of 20% of the ruling, as prescribed by the Civil Court) as of April 30, 2026 and October 31, 2025 with respect to this claim, in accordance with ASC 450. However, the Company believes the likelihood of the plaintiff enforcing collection of any amount on this claim is remote and will continue to defend itself in such enforcement.

General

From time to time, the Company is involved in other disputes, claims, proceedings and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company intends to vigorously defend all claims against the Company and pursue its full legal rights in cases where the Company has been harmed. Although the ultimate outcome of these proceedings cannot be accurately predicted due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, in the opinion of management, based upon current information, no other currently pending or overtly threatened proceeding is expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

Arbitration Financing

On September 5, 2023, the Company entered into the LFA with Bench Walk (Note 5). Under the terms of the LFA, Bench Walk agreed to fund the Company with up to $9.5 million to cover the Company’s legal, tribunal and external expert costs and defined corporate operating expenses associated with the Claim in relation to the international arbitration proceedings as a purchase of a contingent entitlement to damages.

The Company agreed that Bench Walk shall be entitled to receive a share of any proceeds arising from the Claim Proceeds of up to 3.5x Bench Walk’s capital outlay (or, if greater, a return of 1.0x Bench Walk’s capital outlay plus 30% of Claim Proceeds). The actual return to Bench Walk may be lower than the foregoing amounts depending on how quickly the Claim is resolved.

As security for Bench Walk’s entitlement to receive a share of the Claim Proceeds under the LFA, the Company granted to Bench Walk a security interest in the Claim Proceeds, the Claim, all documents of title pertaining to the Claim, rights under any appeal bond or similar instrument posted by any of the defendants in the Claim, and all proceeds of any of the foregoing (refer to Note 5).

Management Retention Agreement and Salaries

The Company established a Management Retention Agreement (the “MRA”), which is a long-term incentive program to retain key personnel of the Company who have important historical information and knowledge to contribute with respect to the Arbitration. The MRA provides that if the Company is successful and the Company receives damages proceeds, 12% of the net proceeds will be directed to the MRA for distribution to its participants. Each participant must satisfy specific Arbitration-related duties and if they do so, each participant may be entitled to a pre-defined percentage of the proceeds received by the MRA. The Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) and the Company’s disinterested shareholders have approved of the MRA as of the date of Silver Bull’s 2024 annual meeting of shareholders in April 2024.

Additionally, management of the Company has agreed to defer a portion of its salaries, as well as an annual bonuses granted, with the deferred amounts only being paid in the event that the Company is successful in its Arbitration proceedings and the Company having sufficient funds to pay the deferred amounts after discharging amounts owed to priority creditors, such as Bench Walk.  Deferred amounts owed to management will accrue interest at a rate of 6% per annum, compounded annually. As of April 30, 2026, the deferred salary and bonus amounts, with accrued interest, are approximately $825,000.

As the outcome of the Arbitration was not determinable as at April 30, 2026, no expense was recorded in relation to the above.